Texas women’s basketball signees Justice Carlton and Jordan Lee are among the top 24 players in the country selected to compete in the 2024 McDonald’s All-American Game. Carlton and Lee are the No. 7 and No. 8 recruits in their class, according to ESPN.

Though it turned out successful, Carlton’s season did not start as she had hoped. At the Nike Nationals in July 2023, Carlton suffered a knee injury. She tore her MCL and ACL along with lateral and medial meniscus. 

“She was really upset because we hadn’t even thought that it was going to be that,” her mother Kacy Carlton said. “(She) ended up not having surgery until about a month after she tore it.”

Despite the first day back from surgery being very rough, that wasn’t enough to kill Carlton’s spirits. Her mom said she was home for less than 12 hours before starting rehab. 

“I had to play in half of my high school games to even just get nominated (for the McDonald’s All-American),” Carlton said. “That was the reason I came back.”

Carlton is a key player and record holder at Seven Lakes High School, in Katy, Texas.

“She makes everybody around her better,” said Seven Lakes head coach Doug Watson. “She’s just willing to share the ball. She’s a complete player. She rebounds the ball well and defends well and anticipates things.”

Carlton’s future teammate, Jordan Lee, is a star on the court as well as in the classroom. With a 4.4 GPA, she is a member of the Saint Mary’s High School National Honor Society and chose Texas for reasons including the school’s strong academic program.

“I would like to be a dermatologist,” Lee said. “I plan on majoring in either human biology or sports management and I talked to some great professionals in both areas that kind of made a clear cut decision regarding academics.”

The guard averaged 20.1 points, 2.7 assists and 7.4 rebounds per game last season and earned first team All-State honors.

“I wasn’t surprised (that she made the All-American team), I thought she earned it,” said St. Mary’s High School head coach Alle Moreno, who played at Sacramento State from 2010 to 2014. “But still, when you have a player that gets this type of recognition and honor, it’s amazing.”

St. Mary’s is home to four other All-American players from previous years who have their jerseys hung up in the school’s gym. Lee knew she wanted to be the fifth. 

“I just tell (Lee) to be her true, authentic self,” Moreno said about giving Lee college basketball advice. “Enjoy every part of the process.”

Not only do both athletes have former NCAA Division I players on their side as coaches, but Carlton is also following the footsteps of her mother. Kacy Carlton is a former Baylor and WNBA player with some time in Europe, and is now an assistant coach for her daughter’s high school team. 

Lee and Carlton are the 28th and 29th Texas players to be named to the McDonald’s All-American team. They are joined by All-American nominee Bryanna Preston in the incoming freshman class.

“It’s just a very exciting time,” Carlton said. “I bet it’s just super exciting for (Texas) to have this really good group of girls come in and be able to play for them next year.”